TheBrain 10 released

Posted by Jon Polish
Nov 5, 2018 at 01:14 PM

Hi Dr. Andus:

To answer your questions.

Dr Andus wrote:
I have started to trial TheBrain 10: the Windows version, the web
>version (in Chrome on a Chromebook), and the Android (v. 9) version (on
>a Chromebook).
> >The initial experience has been very disappointing, even though I love
>the concept and I’m in desperate need of a tool like this one.
> >I’m having major problems with the Windows version. I’m
>running it on a 3-yr old Windows 7 mobile workstation with a core i7
>processor and 16GB RAM. In the three years I have not come across a
>software that I wasn’t able to run due to resource constraints.

My setup is very similar to yours and I am not having the problems you are experiencing. There is a caveat. See below.

>
>Just last week I upgraded my Dragon Naturallyspeaking from Pro v. 14 to
>v.15, and it’s running perfectly.
> >Yet TheBrain 10 is running so slowly that it is practically unusable.
>After every click on anything I have to wait 4-5 seconds for anything to
>happen, often wondering if my click was even registered. At the same
>time the fans are spinning at full speed non-stop while TheBrain is
>running, suggesting that it’s a major drain on resources.

Yes. The first several sessions with version 10 were painfully slow for me as well. Over time it has become much more fluid. I think this has something to do with stuff going on in the background. But it really does settle down . I still find the Java based version 8 much better in terms of features and speed (and use it for my work until 10 matures), but version 10 is getting closer.

>
>The installation itself was painfully slow. When I tried to update the
>software the next day (as a new version came out), I waited 6 hrs for
>the “Updating TheBrain” dialog box to finish before giving
>up and cancelling. I tried three times, it’s impossible to update
>the software from within itself. I may have to uninstall it and then
>reinstall the new version.

Installation was ridiculous. I am very patient by nature, but this was truly a test. Updating is worse.
> >I haven’t had this sort of trouble installing a software for over
>a decade. It felt like time travel into the past. The interface also
>feels dated.
> >Is this primarily a Mac software and the Windows version an
>afterthought?

I think it always has been both.
> >The web version worked a bit better, but it’s missing some
>essential features, and even the ones it has don’t always work. It
>also takes a long time for some of the features to kick in sometimes
>(and I have a decent broadband connection).
> > For a while I didn’t think I was able to add any notes because
>the interface just wouldn’t activate. Or there seems to be an
>option to set a link type, but when you set it up, it is not saved and
>disappears.

I do not have 10 on this computer, so I am working from memory. Under preferences, there is an option to turn the link labels off. I think it is off by default.

>
>The sync between the various clients also feels archaic and seems to be
>rather slow. Having gotten used to working in web apps in recent years,
>this one just feels like an unfinished beta from some years ago.

Ah, check if you are syncing. This could contribute to the slowdown. I do not sync.

>
>Interestingly the Android app was the most responsive one of the lot,
>but unfortunately it has even fewer features than the web version.
> >This has been a very frustrating experience, especially considering how
>much money they are asking for this. Having seen what this software
>could do in theory, I would be willing to consider paying for it. But
>how can I do that when the performance is so poor and there are such
>gaps in features among the various platforms?
> >As I was trialling the software, I was thinking that there is a good
>concept here, but terrible execution, in terms of product quality (I ran
>across some bugs in the web version as well).
> >My next thought was: how come no one has tried to emulate this idea but
>producing it better, with leaner code, using faster servers etc., in a
>package that would actually work?
> >Then I came across this post, so other people have also asked this
>question. It seems that there is some kind of a patent preventing the
>replication of this idea:
> >http://forums.thebrain.com/post/thebrain-on-mac-incredibly-slow-9822809
> >This is a pity because the idea itself doesn’t seem that
>revolutionary: essentially it’s Tim Berners-Lee’s idea of
>hypertext and hyperlinks, so I don’t get how that could be even
>patented.
> >Is there anything out there that emulates this model and is more
>useable, or is this a monopoly “take it or leave it”
>situation?
>

None that I am aware of, but you could approach many of TheBrain’s features with the newest version of MindManager.

My biggest issue has always been that I can never get TheBrain to include attachments and web links in the search results. I have scoured the web and consulted with tech support. It seems to be an issue with Windows 64 bit desktop search upon which TheBrain depends. It works fine on 32 bit flavors though.

Jon